Equilibria
by AdieBishop
Summary: Set after Grave Danger.  Snickers.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's note: Before I get messages regarding loopholes, etc., I know that Kelly Gordon died on the show; however, this is an old story that I'm finally finishing, so please bear with me._

_Artwork and other tidbits regarding this story are over at my myspace page._

* * *

**Equilibria**-L.-n.-_A condition in which no further net change is occurring in a system, and free energy is minimal._

* * *

They neared the break room, Sofia smiling, Grissom mumbling something, and said their goodbyes. Promised something Sara couldn't hear. 

He headed for the coffee pot and Sara didn't look up from the file. She sat leaned back in the chair, her feet propped up on the desk; she took a bite of apple and chewed it loudly.

"Hey Nick, what're you doing later?" She didn't dare look at him, but she knew Grissom's head turned.

Nick turned the page of the sports section.

"Watchin' TV, I guess." He sipped his coffee and then looked up. "Why?"

"Want some company?"

Nick cleared his throat and glanced at Grissom, who looked away, pretending not to care.

"Uh, sure," he shrugged, "I guess so."

* * *

Nick opened the door and Sara waltzed in, making a beeline for the refrigerator. She put the six-pack in, took her coat off and turned, and grinned. 

"Nice apron, Chef Stokes."

Nick closed the door and rolled his eyes. "Ha-ha, funny."

He stirred the sauce on the stove and Sara stood beside him. "Hey that actually smells edible."

"Y'know, unlike you, Sara, some people actually do cook."

Sara tapped him in the arm and went into the living room.

"What's on?" she asked, picking up the remote, and Nick set the table.

"Idaknow, I just had it on for the noise."

Sara flipped through the channels before turning the TV off. She walked to the stereo and looked through Nick's CDs. She turned it on and hit play, smiling at the soft country tune that wafted out.

"Spaghetti?"

Nick turned, almost bumping into her. He took the apron off and tossed it onto the counter. "Yeah. No meat."

Sara got two beers from the fridge and sat down at the table.

She grinned and Nick could've sworn she blushed.

"No meat?"

"Mm-hmm."

Nick placed the pan of sauce on the table by the bowl of spaghetti, tossed the salad once more, and sat down.

Sara opened the beers and handed him one, clinking her bottle against his. "Cheers," and she turned the bottle up.

Nick looked at her.

"Easy there, Sunshine."

Sara's brows furrowed and she nodded and put the beer down.

Nick made a plate for himself and began to eat. Sara did the same and then took a bite and glanced at him. "This is really good," she managed in between chews, and Nick smiled. "Thank you, Ms. Sidle. I'll take that as a compliment."

"_Mmm_."

Nick smiled again.

"Where'd you learn to cook, anyway?" she asked, swigging her beer.

Nick swallowed. "I used to watch my mom when she was in the kitchen." He shrugged. "Got tired of burritos," he added with a wink, and Sara smiled.

They were quiet as they ate and when the CD player switched CDs Nick stood up and headed for the stereo.

"Leave it on."

Nick looked at her and fumbled with the remote. "I'll find something else, here…"

"Why?"

Travis Tritt's voice bellowed out the romantic tune and Nick scoffed, pushing buttons.

Sara grinned and finished eating, started clearing the table.

He finally turned the stereo off, put his hands on his hips. "Wanna watch TV?"

Sara looked up from putting dishes in the dishwasher. "Sure."

She grabbed another beer from the fridge and sat down on the sofa.

Nick turned on the TV and joined her, flipped through the channels.

"Thanks for letting me come over."

Nick glanced at her. "No problem."

He turned the TV to CNN, watched it mindlessly for a few minutes before glancing at Sara, who was finishing her beer.

He cleared his throat. "I thought you quit?"

Sara scoffed. "Yeah."

She sighed. "It's just that Grissom…y'know?" She stood up and walked to the fridge.

Nick nodded, turned back to the TV.

Sara finished the beer, got another one, and sat back down.

"I mean it's not like I haven't given him time. Six years. That's enough time, right? And he wants to just blow me off and ignore me and hook up with _Spork_."

"Who is 'Spork'?"

Sara rolled her eyes: she hadn't meant to let that slip.

"Sofia."

Nick laughed. "Well what's a _Spork_?"

"Useless utensil," Sara mumbled in between gulps of beer, and Nick laughed again.

"Sara, everybody sees how Grissom treats you, y'know…what I don't get is why'd you'd keep trying after that."

She shrugged. "I just want to be over it…just…over. But somehow, I can't. I hate him for it."

Nick looked at her, waiting for her to add something to the effect of, "But I love him," but she didn't.

"How can a person be so closed off, so cold and emotionless like that? I just don't understand it. How can you hide yourself like that?" She shook her head. "No sadness, no anger, no love…"

"You'd be surprised what people could hide."

Nick said it without thinking.

Sara shot him a look. "Yeah, like what?"

Nick shrugged. "Idaknow, Sar…lots of things. Things people don't want other people to know. Don't you have any secrets?"

Sara snorted. "I have secrets, but I'm not a robot."

"Naw, you're just one big ray of sunshine, right?" Nick chuckled. "I've seen you when you haven't slept in a few days, Sara. It isn't pretty." He paused. "You're not the best at social interaction, either."

Sara looked at him. "Anything else you'd like to add there, while you're psychoanalyzing me?"

Nick glanced at her shirt and watched the TV again. "Blue is a very good color on you."

Sara smiled.

They stared at the television, blurred images of a riot someplace, and Nick scoffed.

"Look at 'em, running around like crazy." He sipped his beer. "Makes you wonder who the real criminals are."

Sara nodded to herself. She sat back on the couch and stretched, let her eyes wander around the room and then come to focus on Nick.

The first thing that came to mind was him storming into the interrogation room…

"_Where is she?!"_

The second thing that came to mind was the look on his face when he'd said, "I was rescued," and the third thing? She didn't really let that enter her mind too much. But, here she was, sitting next to him on his sofa, in his apartment, relaxing, drinking a beer…the only other mundane thing to do was talk about the weather, she figured, and she didn't want to do that.

So she blurted it, and regretted it instantly.

"What?" Nick scoffed, shook his head, and took a gulp of beer.

Sara swallowed and shrugged. "What was it like?"

Nick shook his head again, forced a smile, and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. He glared at the television and Sara saw his jaw clench.

"Nick?"

He stood up quickly and looked down at her. He was quite tall, now. "Y'know, Sara, I thought…I _hoped_…you wouldn't be like everyone else." He sighed. "If this is why you wanted to come over then I think it's best if you just leave. Right now." He had his hands on his hips, and suddenly Sara felt very small.  
"I'm sorry…" She didn't know what else to say. She didn't know why she'd thought it, let alone said it out loud, and now, for some reason she couldn't ascertain, she felt like crying. When the tears stung her eyes she stood up.

Nick crossed his arms and looked at her. When Sara met his eyes she realized she was standing no more than a few steps away from him. She couldn't hide it, and a tear ran down her cheek.

Nick's brows furrowed and he looked away and then back.

"Sara, I don't mean to sound so nasty about it, but…"

"No, no," she said, clearing her throat. She wiped fiercely at her eyes. "It's not about that. I don't know why I said that. Comparing notes, maybe?" she added with a laugh, and Nick stared at her.

"I mean, I was never in the situation you were in, you know, but, uh…" Her voice trailed off and she cursed, laughed a bit, and shook her head. "I imagine you're still trying to work through stuff, right?" She asked finally, and Nick nodded.

She picked up her coat. "Yeah, me too," she said, sounding exhausted now, and Nick touched her arm.

"Sar?"

She pulled her coat on and looked at him.

"Does it get any better at all?" His eyes were misted over, and in that moment Sara saw him for the first time. "Do the nightmares subside?" He swallowed hard, tried to hide it, but his teary eyes and quivering chin wouldn't let him.

Sara went to him, held him, and Nick broke in her arms.

"Sshh, sshh," she whispered over and over, smoothing his dark hair; (it was all she knew to do) and for once, she felt okay holding someone.

"I don't know, Nick," she said after a few minutes. "Some days it's not too bad. Other days…certain cases, perps…the weather," she chuckled, "I don't know."

Nick rose up and wiped his eyes. "Damn. I'm sorry."

Sara shrugged, "It's okay."

Nick hugged her then, sighing deeply, and he kissed her on the forehead.

Sara leaned her head against his chest a moment, feeling his heartbeat, fast and heavy, through his tee shirt, and he rested his cheek on her head.

She pulled away and looked up at him, and when he kissed her she staggered. He held her against him, his strong arms almost hurting her, and when he broke the kiss he looked at her quizzically.

He said nothing. He wondered if she was all right with it, if he could do it again, could he do more…

Too many "ifs" and questions ran through his mind as she stood there silent, looking at him, and he decided to take a chance.

"Sara…I know you're in love with Grissom, and I know it would never go anywhere…but…" He sighed, "…have you ever thought about me?"

"I'm not 'in love' with Grissom," she shot. She was defensive again. Denying it again. Avoiding the question.

She stared into his eyes, seeing her reflection there, and realized, all at once, that she was no better than Gil when it came to confrontation and matters of the heart.

She looked away.

Nick stepped closer to her, his arms hanging loosely down; he was wide open and unafraid now, and he asked again. "In anything other than a professional capacity, have you ever thought about me?"

Sara swallowed and felt hot. She likened it to too much alcohol again, but wished she'd drunk herself into a stupor tonight.

If she answered no she would hurt him. Hurt him like she'd been hurt so many times. And honestly? She'd be a liar, too. She never let her thoughts of Nick pan out the way she had her thoughts of Grissom, though. She always felt bad when she thought of Nick like that. She felt if she thought of Nick that way, she'd be 'cheating' on Grissom. Although he'd never returned her advances, or given her anything more than a quick look or remark, something wouldn't let her let him go, and she hated herself, and him, for it. She wanted to get on with her life, tried, even, but nothing seemed to work.

If she answered yes she'd have to get on with it, and that scared her more than anything. Scared her that she'd be stepping into the unknown with a co-worker. A co-worker who wasn't Gil Grissom. She thought a moment, getting angry, and looked at Nick. Still questioning with his eyes, holding his arms at his sides…wanting but afraid. She knew it all to well. Question was, however, how long? Had she been blind to Nick the way Grissom had to her? Had she hurt him the way Grissom had hurt her? Had he waited years, too? What would happen if she said yes? If she stayed tonight? Did he even want her to stay? Had he thought about it? What about work? What about Catherine and Warrick and Greg and Brass and Doc? What if they showed up at work together in the morning? Or any other morning? What about Grissom?

She looked at Nick.

"I know you're in love with Grissom, and I know it would never go anywhere, but…" 

He was willing to take the chance, but why? Did he need her, or just need someone tonight?

He stood inches from her, waiting.

"Nick…why are you doing this? I wanna help you, but not like this." She looked at him, "I don't want to be with you because you need someone tonight…"

"And I don't wanna be your lapse from Grissom that you'd hate in the morning."

He hadn't missed a beat.

He put his hands on her waist. Her back was against the wall and his body was touching hers, close enough to feel the warmth from him.

Sara laughed a little, "We're both so screwed up…"

Nick stared at her, unmoved. His hands rubbed her back gently.

She slid away from him and cleared her throat, moved to the other side of the living room. She put a hand on her hip and rubbed her forehead with the other.

"You're uh, you're wrong about Grissom, ya know."

Nick, too, put a hand on his hip, held his weight with the other on the doorframe.

Sara tugged on the bottom of her coat. "I mean, I wouldn't hate you."

Nick smiled and walked to her. "And you had to come way over here to tell me that?"

She shrugged. "This is weird, Nick."

He laughed. "I make you feel weird?" He put his hands up and took a step back. "It's all right, I get it."

Sara looked around the room helplessly. She didn't know what the hell was happening.

"Nervous," she said with a loud sigh, and Nick turned around.

"Why can't you just forget about Grissom?"

He hit the nail on the head.

"You don't think he goes home and pines over you, do you? What about Terri and Lady Heather and Sofia?"

"Why are you doing this to me?"

"Because I'm sick of him hurting you, Sara, and damnit, you should be, too!"

Sara tightened her coat and walked past him, out the door.

Nick stood there a moment and then tossed the beer bottles into the trashcan.

* * *

Nick finished his coffee and stood up. Greg entered the room and sighed. 

"You got called, too, huh?"

Nick nodded. They'd been called in early to work a new lead from a previous case.

"Gotta love the all nighters."

Greg glanced at him. "Oh yeah? Why were you up all night?" He frowned. "Did Sara come over?"

Nick looked at him. "We watched TV, Greg."

Greg sighed. "Oh, okay."

Sara came on shift later that night, looking tired and hung over. She'd hoped to avoid Nick, but his was the first face she saw, in the locker room.

They said nothing.


	2. Chapter 2

Grissom handed out assignments, and Sara glared at him when she saw she'd be working with Nick. Grissom looked at her, his face expressionless, and said nothing. Nick picked up his field kit and headed out of the break room.

She lagged behind him in the parking lot on the way to the Denali.

He sat the kit on the hood and fished in his pocket for the keys when Sara reached him.

"Nick, I think we should talk about this."

"DB at the Palms," he said, unlocking the door. He put his kit in the back and climbed in, and Sara walked to the passenger side and got in.

"According to the slip, there's a riot going on and the police are trying to clear the area." He put his seatbelt on and started the engine.

"Why do they always have to act like animals?" he asked aloud, backing out of the lot.

Sara clicked her seatbelt on. "Fear makes people do crazy things."

* * *

They arrived at the Palms to see police and people everywhere.

"It's a mob."

Nick shut the Denali off and grabbed his kit as Sara exited the vehicle.

The walked alongside one another into the crowd and an officer met them.

"Glad to see you guys, finally."

"What's goin' on?" Nick asked, glancing around.

"Somebody found a body in the lobby and then ran into the casino screaming. It went downhill from there."

The officer began walking inside and the CSIs followed him.

"Wait a minute, someone found the body in the lobby?"

"Sitting upright on the sofa," he said nonchalantly. "Now tell me how the hell someone pulled that off?"

"Maybe they had a heart attack?" Sara questioned.

Just then a woman ran past the police tape screaming, almost knocking Sara over. An officer ran after her and Sara scoffed and began walking again. Nick put his hand on the small of her back as they entered the lobby.

David hovered over the body.

The DB, a male, was in the floor in front of the sofa. He'd been trampled on.

Nick and Sara looked at each other.

"Hi, David."

David nodded to Sara. "Been dead four to five hours, best I can tell."

"That what killed him?" Sara asked, motioning toward the footprints.

"No, those look to be post-mortem."

David stood up.

"Can give you a better idea after we examine the body."

Sara nodded and thanked him as he left.

Nick looked toward the casino. "How many people came outta there?"

The officer guessed. "Capacity's about five hundred. From the looks of it outside, they were full up."

Nick glanced at Sara, who was already taking photos.

"We need to get this area taped off."

"You got it."

"Why do people freak out so bad when they see a body?" Sara snapped another photo as the officer walked away. "I can understand it to a point, but this? Five hundred plus people trampling the body?" She shook her head, "I just don't get it."

"I guess it depends on how freaked out the person who found the body was." Nick began the sketch. "Apparently he, or she, was pretty convincing to everyone else."

Sara glanced over all the footprints and leaned back. "We'll never figure out who all these footprints belong to."

Nick stopped sketching and glanced at the body. Right away he noticed something. He put the pad and pencil down, put on his gloves. He motioned for Sara, who took a picture, and then Nick flipped back the edge of the man's coat to reveal a syringe. Sara took another photo and he picked it up. "Maybe this can help us." He looked it over and then bagged it. "No needle."

"Well that's odd. Think somebody else stuck him, then broke it off?"

Nick looked at the floor around the body. "I don't know yet, Sara, that's why we're here."

Sara glanced at him. She didn't like how he made her feel like she didn't already know that. She took a few more photos and then turned the body over and snapped away again. She jotted some notes down and opened her field kit.

* * *

Sara put the file together as they waited on the coroner to pick up the body.

Nick sipped his coffee and sifted through his notes on the earlier case.

"Nick, I'm sorry."

He didn't look up.

"Maybe whoever found the body did it? Caused the panic on purpose?" He said it almost like he was talking to himself, like he didn't care that Sara sat right beside him. "First witness, first suspect." He frowned.

"Nick."

He stared over at the body, tapping his chin with his pencil in thought, ignoring her, and Sara fumed.

"You're acting like Grissom right now."

Nick's head darted toward her. "Well that should make you very happy, Sara." He took the file from her and went to greet the coroner's assistant.

* * *

"He came running in, screaming like a madman."

The man held his shaken wife.

"He said there was a bomb in the lobby, and that was it."

Nick looked at them. "Did you see what he looked like?"

"Big guy, about six one or so. Dark hair, jeans, scruffy looking jacket."

"You saw all that when he ran through the casino?"

The woman wiped her nose. "He looked like the last person you'd see in Vegas."

Nick nodded and the officer closed the notepad.

* * *

"Got a TOD?"

"Levity and liver temp suggest he died sometime between nine or ten."

Doc picked up a silver tray. "Pulled this from his upper torso, took a blood sample, sent it over to tox. Should have the results any time."

Sara looked at the needle.

"Whatever was on this needle was quickly absorbed into the blood stream."

Sara looked at the man.

"What's most interesting is that he was blind."

"Blind?"

Doc nodded.

"Okay, thanks Doc."

* * *

Nick answered his cell. "Stokes."

"The guy was a blind diabetic. Dr. Robbins found the needle from the syringe in his stomach, and it turns out that it was heroin…enough to OD almost instantly…some kind of bad mix. Photo ID lists a Wesley March, 1431 Brau Lane, Los Angeles, California."

"L.A.? What was he doing here?" He sighed. "All right, I'll be there in a few. I'm not getting much here, anyway." He paused. "Sara?"

"Yeah?"

"Listen, about what happened earlier…" He sighed and climbed into the Denali. "I'm sorry for being such a jerk. I shouldn't have done that, and I apologize. I just want you to know that."

Sara took a deep breath. "I gotta go, so I'll see ya in a few."

Nick snapped his cell phone shut and started the engine.

* * *

"Why didn't we find his wallet on his person?"

Sara looked at him. "It was uh, in his shorts."

Nick shook his head.

"Around three grand in it."

"Lot of dough, guy in Vegas, alone…blind guy, at that…guess I could see why someone'd wanna hide that much cash."

"There's a woman in with Brass, said she was on her way to meet our vic. They met online."

* * *

"We'd talked on the phone several times and agreed to meet. I was on my way..." The woman sniffled. Nick noticed the Seeing Eye dog beside her.

"Ms. Parker, you claim to've met Mr. March online?"

"In a chat community specifically for the blind," she explained. "As you'd imagine, it's hard for people…like us…to meet other people."

Brass glanced at Sara. "You really can find anything on the net, huh?" he mumbled, and Sara looked at him.

Nick looked at Brass for help, who checked the paper in front of him. "TTS. Text-to-speech engines. Installed on all newer personal computers, reads text from the screen aloud for the visually impaired." He shrugged.

"Do you know anyone who may've wanted to hurt Mr. March?"

She shook her head quickly.

"Friends, family, someone from Vegas?"

"Nonono…his only friends were online friends and he didn't have any family. No one in Vegas knew him."

"You knew him."

Nick and Brass looked at Sara.

"Did you know that Mr. March was diabetic?"

"Well yes, so am I."

"And took insulin daily?"

"Yes."

"Did he ever mention anything about drugs? Heroine, maybe?"

The woman laughed. "Are you serious?"

"We pulled a needle from his body, he'd been injected with a large dose of heroine…enough to make him OD almost instantly."

She shook her head. "No, that can't be."

"Yeah, why's that?" Brass asked.

"Wesley used to be a detective for the LAPD. That's how he lost his sight."

* * *

Sara put the evidence into the vault and headed to the locker room. She avoided the break room, thinking that's where Nick was, filling up on more coffee, but she was wrong.

He looked tired.

He put his sneakers on and grabbed his denim jacket, rubbed his eyes again.

He stood up and stretched, almost hitting Sara when she breezed past him.

"Oh, sorry…"

She sat down and Nick opened his locker again.

"What do you think about online dating?"

Nick smiled. "Why, you lonely Sidle?"

Sara grinned, she couldn't help it.

"_No_. I just can't imagine falling in love with someone you've never met, going cross-country to meet them. Especially online?" She shook her head. "Doesn't seem safe."

Nick closed his locker again. "Not all internet surfers who go to dating sites are psychos, Sar. Some of them are legitimately lonely. Just because it doesn't seem conventional, doesn't mean that it doesn't work for some people."

He put his jacket on.

"G'night."

"Night."

* * *

Sara stared at her username and hesitated before hitting the enter key.

When she did she was amazed to see the conversations moving so fast; she could barely keep up. She exited the room, chose another with fewer people: Vegas Hangout, nineteen users.

She entered, eyed the other peoples' usernames.

PrettyPal41, SexKitten007, LonelyinLV…on and on. She watched the conversations mindlessly, not understanding most of it.

A box popped up on her screen, an instant message, or "IM," from someone called BigGuy517, and she stared at it.

"A/S/L?" 

Sara blinked. "What?" she asked aloud.

"_38, m, desert boy here"_

Sara closed the message without responding.

She got another cup of coffee and returned to her laptop to see three more blinking boxes. She closed them quickly and another popped up, this one from a "ShyTexasCowboy." She moved the cursor over to the "x" when "Cowboy" typed a message: _"Your handle is interesting."_

Sara looked at the screen.

"I work in forensics, how 'bout you?" 

She panicked and closed the box, cursing herself.

She went to Google search and typed in "text to speech engine" and browsed the results. After following a few links she found a few online dating communities for the handicapped and browsed over the member profiles, surprised to find so many seemingly legitimate lonely people.

She wondered about online dating in general, then, and thought of what Nick had said. She remembered the "ShyTexasCowboy" and had to smile. Couldn't be him, could it?

She went back to the chat community and entered the Vegas Hangout room again. She right clicked on Cowboy's username but his profile was blank. She shrugged, double clicked his username, and began typing.

"What do you think of online dating?"

"_LOL."_

A pause.

"_That means laugh out loud."_

Sara nodded.

There was a long moment with no typing, and then a box popped up on Sara's screen. ShyTexasCowboy was sending her his photo.

She hesitated before accepting it.

She opened the file and laughed when she saw the expression on his face.

"I knew it was you."

"_You did not."_

Sara laughed and spoke aloud as she typed, "Oh yes I did."

"So why are you in a chat room?" 

She kept talking aloud, as though he could hear her. "Research."

"_LOL I bet."_

Another pause.

"You gotten any interesting IMs yet?" 

"Like what?"

"Nude photos, invitations for cyber sex…?" 

Sara choked on her coffee.

"Cyber what?"

"_Cyber sex."_

She shrugged. "I had a few windows pop up but I closed them."

"What are you wearing?" 

Sara cackled and typed LOL.

"What are you doing?"

"_Trying to pop your cyber-cherry."_

Sara laughed so hard she had tears streaming down her face.

"Night, Cowboy," she typed finally, and exited the room and shut down the laptop.

* * *

Sara grinned when she saw Nick come into the break room.

He poured a cup of coffee and leaned against the counter, took a drink and sighed heavily, then pulled his jeans up and looked at Sara.

"Was it good for you, _SassyLabGirl_?"

Sara cackled and buried her face behind her book.

Greg stared at her.

* * *

"Why didn't you run his prints?"

Nick rubbed his forehead and Sara fidgeted.

"Grissom, he's blind. Why would he be in AFIS?"

Grissom smirked. "Why wouldn't he be? I think you're letting his physical impairment cloud your judgment." He paused, looked up to see Sofia enter the room. She walked to the front of the desk and stood beside Sara.

"We had no idea the guy'd turn out to be LAPD."

"We see only what we want to see…" Grissom began another quote, and Sara frowned.

"Yeah, we get it." She glared at him and Grissom looked at her, his brows furrowed.

"Sofia's going with you to question the owner of the syringe. They matched his prints in AFIS to a Chris Graham."

* * *

"The guy wouldn't gimme the stuff. I just wanted to trade him up, that's all. He wouldn't budge, just sat there. I tried taking it from him, he went crazy and got stuck."

"The 'stuff' you were trying to 'trade him up'," Nick began, "was insulin. The guy was a blind diabetic, sitting in the lobby, waiting on his girlfriend. You stuck him with your needle, knowing it was a bad mix. He overdosed in what, a minute or so? Did ya wait 'til he was in the floor before you took his needle?" Nick stared at him. "Then you ran through the casino screamin' 'bomb' to cause a commotion to get away."

"You forgot about your fingerprints, though, didn't you? Too much heroine earlier, maybe?" Sara asked coolly.

Nick glared at him. "Get a good buzz from it? Did it do anything for ya?"

Sofia pulled out her handcuffs and Chris Graham stood up. She cuffed him and led him out of the interrogation room, and Nick sat down on the table.

"Yeah, he definitely looks like the last guy you'd see in Vegas," he said sarcastically.

He sighed. "That guy was only trying to find love, y'know? Someone to give a damn, and this junkie comes along…" His voice faded and he shook his head.

Sara looked at him and remembered what Grissom had said, long ago, about criminalists burning out…letting the cases become personal…

She cleared her throat. "You on tonight, Cowboy?"

Nick looked at her and laughed. He pulled her to him and hugged her just as the door swung open.

Grissom stopped in his tracks and Sara backed away as Nick stood up and put his hands on his hips.

"What's going on in here? Why aren't you working?"

He was pissed, even if he tried not to be.

He pointed behind him, "Nick, you have a case file sitting on my desk that's incomplete."

"What case file?"

Grissom faltered. "The one from yesterday."

Sara looked at the two of them, staring one another down, daring the other to speak… the alpha males…sort of.

"I finished it, check it again."

Grissom's face flushed.

"I wrote up my notes, double checked the file, logged the evidence…all done."

Grissom looked at Sara and back to Nick, then again at Sara.

"I don't know what's going on, but it needs to stop."

He walked out of the room and Nick and Sara looked at each other.

Sara walked out of the room and followed Grissom to his office. She didn't bother closing the door.

"What was that about?"

"Yes, what was that about, Sara?" He sat down, put his hands together. "There are people busting their asses in this lab right now to finish cases because the DA and the sheriff and the mayor are pushing everyone to the brink, and you're hugging someone in the interrogation room?" He frowned. "I don't care what you do with your own time, but when you're in _my_ lab, you're on _my_ time."

"Not just 'someone.' Nick." Her voice was louder than she thought it would be. "I think you're just jealous but you're too busy hiding yourself to admit it---"  
"It has nothing whatsoever to do with jealousy---"

"---and I'm sick and tired of trying to impress you and waiting for something, anything, that I know will never happen."

Sara glared at him. She'd always imagined she'd be tearful if and when she ever told him that, but right now she was angrier than she'd been in along while.

"And as far as people busting their asses?" She chuckled and shook her head, unable to find the words to say anything more. She turned and stormed out of the office, and Grissom got up and slammed the door closed.

Nick leaned against the wall, his arms crossed, as Sara hurried past him. He heard the locker door slam before reaching the locker room, and heard the cursing before he went in.

He watched her grab her things silently for about a minute when she looked up and saw him, and then stopped cursing under her breath.

"Hey there, sailor," Nick joked, uncrossing his arms.

Sara shook her head and bit her tongue. Her face was red.

"You know you probably shouldn't be here right now, Nick." She rolled her eyes and raised her voice, "You'd probably get fired for being seen with me again."

Nick chuckled.

He leaned toward her. "Well," he began, stopping to plant a quick kiss on her cheek, "try not to let it bother you," and then he walked out.

Sara looked at the empty space where'd he'd been and the tears stung her eyes.


	3. Chapter 3

_She reads crime books. She listens to the police scanner. She dabbles in profiling as a hobby. She chooses men who are emotionally unavailable. She's a loose canon with a loaded gun. She's got half a dozen complaints under her belt. The only reason she's still employed and in Vegas is because the man who doesn't need her says he needs her. She's a brilliant criminalist. She's too angry, too emotional, too closed off. Not good with people. Terrible at social interaction. Afraid._

Sara opened her eyes, sure that she'd slept a full night for once. She checked the time and cursed: it couldn't be. She'd only slept three hours.

She rubbed her forehead, realized that her throat was swollen and scratchy. She hadn't had a cold in a long time. She realized, too, that it was happening again, for some reason. She felt like she was losing control.

She pulled on a pair of thick socks, dragged her blanket and pillow into the living room and turned on a lamp. She turned the teakettle on for a cup of hot chocolate and shivered.

* * *

Nick stared up at the window, just about to drive away, when he saw the light come on. He'd been off shift for a while. Grissom had complained about Sara leaving early, said even less when Nick had.

He knocked on the door and waited, heard coughing from inside.

When she opened it, clutching a tissue and a mug of something hot, he frowned.

"Sara, you look awful."

She grinned. "Thanks, Nick."

He walked inside and closed the door behind him as she sat down on the sofa and wrapped a blanket around herself.

"You were okay earlier, weren't you?"

Sara nodded, sipping the hot chocolate.

"Woke up like this."

Nick took his coat off, tossed it on the back of the chair. He sat down on the sofa beside her. She flinched when he raised a hand to her forehead and he looked at her quizzically.

_You know I'd never hurt you_, his eyes said, and Sara leaned forward."Sorry," she said with a chuckle.

She coughed again and Nick shook his head.

"You're burning up."

"Huh…already?"

"You say that like you were expecting it."

She shrugged. "When I get sick, I get sick."

Nick nodded.

"Did you leave early?" She turned her head to look at the wall clock. "Shouldn't you still be on shift?"

"Yeah, I left a little early. I think Grissom was glad, actually."

Sara scoffed.

"That's what pisses me off about Grissom."

Nick looked at her and she pulled her feet on the sofa and leaned toward him. When he sat back she laid down, rested her head in his lap, and he tucked the blanket around her better.

"He tells me to get a life, and when I do, he complains when I don't come running."

She sneezed. "It's annoying."

"Gazunheit."

Sara looked at him and smiled.

"You're so…"

He smiled and looked at her, waiting, curious as to what she was going to say. Sara looked at him, smiling down at her, and realized that at that moment, he looked even more like the word she either couldn't, or wouldn't, say.

Charming? Cute? Wonderful? Amazing? Beautiful? Sexy? I love you. Thoughtful? 

"…thoughtful."

Nick laughed. "Thoughtful?"

Sara nodded and sniggered.

"It's just so hard for you to say anything remotely emotional to anyone, isn't it?"

She stared at him, her brown eyes wide. She hoped she didn't blurt it out.

Finally she nodded and sniggered again, but Nick's expression had turned serious, almost stone-like.

"What?" she asked quickly, almost rising up. She did little to hide the fear in her eyes. _Oh God, had she blurted it out?_

Nick swallowed and shrugged, glanced around the room before looking back down at her.

"You're pale and sweaty and snotty," he laughed, "and I still think you're the most beautiful thing God ever made."

Sara's bottom lip dropped a little and she stared at him, speechless.

Finally she tapped him in the chest. "You're just trying to get laid," she said with a laugh, and Nick sighed and dropped his head back.

"No I'm not."

He looked at her, her face red from giggling, and had to laugh.

Sara coughed again and Nick leaned forward and rose up a moment to get comfortable. His stomach pressed against Sara's cheek as he did so, and her senses kicked into overdrive.

His long sleeve, red shirt was soft and rough at the same time and she could feel his stomach muscles through it, pressing into her cheek. She could smell fresh linen and soap, and a hint of cologne. She guessed Nick to be a Stetson man, or something ShyTexasCowboy-ish, and she grinned, picturing him in a ten-gallon hat, wearing chaps and holding a lasso atop a horse.

She let out a slight giggle and Nick looked at her. "What's so funny?"

She put her hand over her mouth and cleared her throat. "Nothing."

He raised an eyebrow. "Uh-huh."

"Could you hand me a cough drop, please? They're on the table," she pointed.

Nick rose up again to get the cough drop. He handed it to her and settled back down and she started laughing as she put the cough drop in her mouth.

"All right, that's it, Sidle," he threatened. "What is so funny?"

She coughed again. "Are you a Stetson man, Nicky?" she cackled, and Nick grinned. He loved it when she called him Nicky.

"I'm a _zest_ man, sugar pants," he said, letting out a sigh, and Sara laughed so hard she had to sit up to keep from choking.

Nick put a hand on her back, debating on whether or not to pat, and laughed.

When Sara tossed her tissue at him he hit it before it caught him in the face.

"I don't want your snotty rag!" he laughed.

He leaned over the side of the sofa and picked up the tissue.

Sara poked at him with her hand, the other picking up the cup of chocolate.

"It wasn't snotty," she said, taking a sip, "I just got it."

When he rose back up he grabbed Sara's hand to keep her from poking him. When he pulled she missed the cup and spilled the hot chocolate down her chin and onto her shirt.

She glared at him.

"You so meant to do that."

Nick laughed. "I didn't even see you takin' a drink. I saw your hand comin' at me." He smirked. "I did not."

She wiped her chin off and shook her head. "Oh yes you did."

Sara sat the cup down and stood up, examining the trickle down her shirt.

Nick spread his arms along the back of the sofa and relaxed.

"Guess you'll be takin' that off now?"

She groaned and made a fist at him then headed toward her bedroom.

Nick sighed and stood up, walked to the kitchen trashcan and tossed the tissue in. He crossed his arms and looked around the apartment, silently telling his feet to stay put.

He'd turned half way around when Sara called, "I'm going to take a quick shower."

Nick nodded, as if she could see him. He swallowed and managed, "Okay."

* * *

Sara pulled a pair of drawstrings pants on and pulled a tee shirt over her head.

When she went into the living room she found Nick, asleep on the sofa. She smiled and tried covering him up with the blanket, but he opened his eyes.

He pulled her down on top of him gently and then kissed her.

She smiled and nuzzled her head beneath his chin, and he wrapped his arms around her.

Sara listened to his heartbeat, feeling his chest move rhythmically as he began to doze off, and it wasn't long before she closed her eyes and slept.

* * *

"_Mmm, Sara…_"

Sara wasn't sure if it was his voice or his situation below the belt that woke her.

She raised her chin up and stared at him, an expression of half pain, half pleasure on his face, and she rubbed her eyes and rose up further to check the clock. Almost dawn.

She coughed and Nick opened his eyes. After remembering why Sara wasn't naked atop him, he realized that he'd been dreaming again.

He sat up quickly, almost knocking Sara off him, and she sat up, grinning in between coughs.

He cleared his throat and stood up, folded the blanket, clasped his hands together, rubbed his mouth, and then sighed.

Sara watched him, raised an eyebrow, and said, "You wanna dust, too?"

Nick smirked.

She eyed his crotch and he glanced down. He scoffed and crossed his arms.

"I'm uh…I'm flattered," she said, trying not to grin, and Nick blushed.

He shook his head. "You honestly have no idea what you do to me, do you?"

Sara shrugged and let out the grin she'd been stifling.

Nick coughed and grabbed his coat.

"I think I should go."

He pulled his coat on and leaned toward her and then back. "I'd kiss you, but I'd better not." He paused. "Not right now, I mean." He shrugged. "Y'know…"

Sara nodded.

"I'll see you later."

"Okay."

He headed out the door.

"Bye," Sara called.

* * *

Nick sneezed and Warrick looked at him.

"Man you're gettin' stuff all over my evidence!"

Nick leaned down and eyed the spots on the shirt.

"Those are mine." He pointed, "That's yours."

Warrick grimaced and Nick chuckled. "There's nothin' on there, man."

He bagged the shirt and logged it.

"So what's gotten into you lately, mustache boy?"

Nick scoffed; he was getting tired of that nickname.

"You know some ladies like a little scruff." He grinned. "Ask Catherine."

"Ask me what?" the blond said, walking into the room.

"Nicky here seems to think that ladies prefer men with facial hair."

Catherine looked at them. "Warrick? You have facial hair."

"But I don't have a chia pet growin' on my upper lip." He rubbed his face. "I have sexy stubble."

Catherine grinned.

Nick rolled his eyes and laughed. "Oh man, here we go."

"That what Tonya calls it?" Catherine asked quickly, and Warrick smiled. "Tina. Tee-na."

"Woopsie. _Teeee-naaa_."

"She wants me to shave."

"Why?"

"She just doesn't like it."

Catherine glanced at Nick and then looked at Warrick.

"Keep it."  
Warrick grinned and licked his lips.

"Oh yeah? You like it?"

Catherine shrugged.

"Some ladies prefer men with facial hair."

Nick laughed.

"What brought all this on, anyway?"

"Well I was just asking Nick what's gotten into him lately."

Catherine looked at him. "Yeah I was wondering that myself. Greg said something about Sara being at your place the other night?" She raised an eyebrow. "What's goin' on there?" She looked at Nick. "I mean, if I can ask."

Nick put his gloves on and sighed. "We just watched TV."

"Hey where is Sara anyway? I haven't seen her since that blowup in Grissom's office."

"She's home sick."

Catherine and Warrick looked at him.

"And how do you know that, lover boy?"

Catherine grinned and Nick blushed, giving himself away, and Warrick clapped his hands and laughed.

"Wo-ho!"

"Awe, c'mon…I went to check on her after what happened with Grissom, that's all."

"You're red as a tomato, Nicky," Catherine grinned.

Nick took his gloves off and stood up.

"It's…hot in here. Or something."

He laughed and walked out and Catherine and Warrick looked at each other.


	4. Chapter 4

Sara opened the door and smiled.

Nick was holding a cup of vegetable soup, his other arm behind his back, and when she took the cup, his arm stretched out a huge bouquet of flowers.

Nick peeked his head out from behind them.

"Feelin' better yet?"

Sara nodded. She was blushing, this time.

She took the flowers and Nick came inside, kissing her on the cheek as he walked by.

She closed the door, still smelling the flowers, but stopped when she noticed Nick looking at her from head to foot and then back.

"What?"

"Just seein' if you were dressed for a trip."

"A trip?"

Nick nodded.

"A trip to where?"

"It's a surprise."

Sara raised an eyebrow.

"When?"

"Right now."

"Right now?"

He nodded again.

"I'm not ready."

Nick walked to her, took the bouquet from her and sat it down on the counter, took the cup of soup, opened it, and put it into the microwave. He pushed the timer and hit start and then kissed her.

"I'll wait."

"You're serious?"

He looked at her and smiled.

* * *

Sara took her sunglasses off and looked around.

"Nick?"

He closed the hatch. "Yeah?"

"There are horses here."

He laughed. "Yeah."

"I've never ridden a horse." She walked to him. "Ever."

He put a duffle bag over his shoulder and took her hand.

"It's easy. C'mon."

* * *

Sara pulled her hair into a ponytail and stood in front of the air conditioner. The place looked like something she'd seen out of a western a long time ago, complete with bullhorns adorning the wood-planked walls.

"Billy's got two horses ready to go for ya."

Nick thanked the man and walked back to Sara, and she stared at him.

He walked in the place Nick Stokes, Las Vegas CSI, and came out Hillbilly Bob, Cowboy Extraordinaire.

She grinned, eyed his cowboy boots, chaps, and ten-gallon hat, and Nick put his arms out.

"Whattaya think?"

Sara sniggered.

"Yee-haw."

* * *

"Hey Nick, long time."

Nick shook the man's hand.

"Billy, this is Sara Sidle."

Sara nodded.

"Ma'am."

"So you'll be ridin' Storm, Nick, and the little lady gets Star."

Sara glanced away and grinned. _Little lady._

"Now he's real gentle. Even a baby could ride him."

Nick thanked the man and handed Sara a pair of riding gloves and then climbed over the fence. He picked up the saddle and put it on Storm.

"So this was the surprise?" Sara asked, pulling the gloves on.

Nick tightened the girth straps and glanced at her, squinting in the sunlight.

"You'll like it, I promise."

He held his hand out and Sara took it and climbed over the fence. Nick put his hands on her waist and helped her down. He put the saddle on Star and showed Sara how to fasten the buckles. She knelt down and began fastening them and Star neighed, and Sara jumped back.

Nick laughed and patted the horse.

He double checked the straps and buckles and held the reigns.

"Okay, now get on."

Sara looked at him.

"Put your foot in the stirrup and pull yourself up using the pommel."

"The what?"

"The little knob on the saddle."

"Oh."

She put her foot in the stirrup and tried pulling herself up and Star took a step and Sara hopped back down and scoffed. She glanced at Nick.

"Swing your leg over the saddle once you're up high enough."

"When I get high enough he moves."

Nick laughed and walked to her. He crossed his arms and Sara tried again.

When she pulled herself up Nick put his hands on her bottom and pushed her up the rest of the way. She swung her leg over the horse and landed in the saddle, smirking at him.

"You're pitiful."

Nick shrugged and handed her the reigns.

"Keep him at a slow walk for now."

He climbed atop Storm with ease and Sara watched him as he tugged on the reigns and the horse turned around.

"Give him a little nudge."

Sara tugged on the reigns and Star stood still.

"Come on. Go. Go, horse!"

Nick chuckled and rested his gloved hands over the pommel, watching her.

"Go Star!"

She sighed and looked at Nick.

"Use the stirrups. Give him a little nudge with the heel of your foot."

Sara nudged the horse and Star took off trotting, and she tightened her grip on the reigns.

Nick laughed and nudged Storm, who trotted up to Star.

Sara's knuckles were white and her hands were already sweating.

Nick leaned over the side of the horse and plucked a piece of dried oat grass and put it in his mouth.

He chewed on it and eyed Sara.

"You haven't seen a naked lady riding bareback have ya?" he said, tipping his cowboy hat up, and Sara laughed.

* * *

They kept the horses at a steady walk the whole ride.

Nick had pointed out almost everything to her.

"I love it out here. You can't smell the city."

Sara sighed. "Yeah, the air is good."

She shifted in the saddle.

"Let's head back. I wanna take you out on Storm here and show you what it's really like to ride before your butt goes numb."

* * *

Billy met them at the fence and Sara hopped off Star and handed him the reigns.

Sara rubbed her bottom and Nick laughed and took her hand. He pulled her up onto his saddle with him.

"I'm gonna show her how the cowboys ride," he grinned, and Billy laughed.

He nudged Storm and held the reigns and the animal broke into a gallop, knocking Sara back against Nick's chest. He moved his head out of Sara's falling ponytail to see as Storm galloped for all he was worth.

"H'ya!" Nick called, flicking the reigns, and Sara's fingers dug into his chap covered thighs. She yelled, "Yee-haw!" and Nick laughed. He held the reigns with one hand and wrapped his free arm around Sara's waist, taking the opportunity to hold her tight against him, and Sara closed her eyes.

She felt the wind all around her and listened to Storm's hooves pounding into the ground as he galloped, the vibrations coursing from the animal to she and Nick, and she opened her eyes.

She felt free.

* * *

It was dusk when they got back to the corral.

Sara sat down easy into the passenger seat and Nick chuckled.

"Sore now?"

Sara nodded and took a breath.

"Aren't you?"

Nick pulled out of the ranch. "Used to it." He paused. "I have buns of steel."

Sara laughed.

* * *

Nick chewed his French fry and took a sip of soda when his cell rang. He wiped his hands off and answered.

"Stokes."

Sara looked at him.

"Uh-huh."

He sighed.

"Yeah, gimme about half an hour?" He paused. "I'm right outside city limits."

He nodded and slapped the phone shut, took out his wallet.

"That was Grissom. He wants everyone in early."

Sara frowned and her cell phone rang.

"I'm on my way." She answered quickly and closed the phone, and Nick looked at her.

"You still mad at him?"

Sara scoffed.

She stood up. "I have to go get changed."

Nick checked his watch.

* * *

Greg ran into the locker room carrying boxes of Thera Flu and Kleenexes.

"Hey Sara. Still sick?"

She shook her head and smiled. "No, Dr. Sanders, but thank you."

Greg smiled.

"You know what they say about taking two and calling me in the morning…"

Nick looked at him.

"Nevermind."

Greg walked out of the locker room and Sara shook her head. "Who else knows?"

"Probably everyone."

Sara closed her locker and turned to leave.

"Hey Sar, hang on a sec."

She turned around and Nick pulled the strand of oat grass from her hair.

They walked down the hall together and Nick noticed that Sara was walking easy.

"Y'okay?"

"My ass still hurts."

Nick chuckled. "Yeah, it will for a day or so."

Warrick joined them.

"What was that about your ass, Sara?"

She glared at him and he laughed.

"Hey."

The group turned.

"Everyone in my office, now."


	5. Chapter 5

Grissom tossed the folder on his desk and looked at them as Catherine entered the office.

"Where's Greg?"

"Here! Here, sorry," he said, hurrying to join the group.

Grissom looked at him and then opened the folder and sat down. He was quiet a moment, and Warrick asked, "What's up?"

Grissom sighed.

"Mary Prescott was kidnapped earlier this morning."

The CSIs looked at each other.

"Mary Prescott, daughter of Byron Prescott?" Catherine asked, and Grissom nodded.

"Who's Byron Prescott?"

Warrick and Nick looked at Greg.

"Man, don't you read the paper, or watch the news?"

"Byron Prescott is one of the richest guys in Vegas. Opening that new casino on the strip. What's it called?" Warrick thought a minute. "Diamond Dust, or something?"

Sara crossed her arms.

"Apparently she went out shopping and never came back. Her keys and purse where found in the parking garage near her car," Grissom explained. "The press is already all over it. Byron Prescott has hit every news station there is, and the lab has been flooded with calls."

He stood up.

"Warrick, Catherine, you take the parking garage, Nick, you take Mary's car. It's on its way to auto detail now. Greg and Sara, you scout the shopping center and see what you can find out." He handed out slips. "No one," he eyed Nick, "and I mean _no one_, talks to the press."

* * *

Warrick held the police tape up and Catherine ducked under it.

"There's the purse," Catherine noted, and Warrick pulled out the camera.

An officer walked over to them.

"Are there video cameras on the lot?"

He nodded. "I'll get the security guard to get the footage for you."

"Thanks."

Warrick took shots of the purse and surrounding area.

"Wonder how long it'll be before the ransom call comes in."

Catherine knelt down and looked inside the wallet in the purse, opened it wider for Warrick to see.

He whistled at the wad of bills.

"Doesn't look like it's about money."

"Maybe they're holdin' out for Daddy's money."

* * *

Greg dropped the price tag, his eyes wide, and Sara grinned.

"Who'd pay eight hundred bucks for a bra?"

"When you've got money like the Prescotts, Greg, eight hundred bucks is like small change."

"Give me small change, please."

"Excuse me, may I help you?"

Sara looked up. "Hi, we're with the Las Vegas crime lab. We're here to ask you some questions about Mary Prescott?"

The sales woman nodded. "Yes?"

"Was she shopping here earlier today?"

"Yes, Ms. Prescott comes in every Wednesday to pick up her order."

"Order?" Greg asked.

"Our new items don't get displayed until Fridays, but we work with select clientele and they pick up their items early, to insure availability."

"What time was Ms. Prescott in the store?"

"Well if you'll come with me I'll show you our security footage."

Sara and Greg looked at each other.

"Duh," he mumbled, following the sales woman.

* * *

Grissom leaned down.

"Well?"

Nick rolled out from beneath the car and wiped his forehead.

"Nothin'."

He got up. "This car is clean, man. There's nothin'. No fibers, no blood, no hairs," he pointed to the dash. "No ashes, no dust. Either it's fresh from the factory or I wanna know who cleans the Prescott family cars."

He wiped his hands off.

"Grissom, I wanted to talk to you about what happened the other day…between Sara and me."

Grissom looked at him and put his hands up.

"Nick, we're working a high profile case. I don't have time to talk about this right now."

Nick nodded, smirked after Grissom had walked away.

He tossed the grease rag down.

* * *

"She got her latte, said bye, and then left."

"And she always got a latte after shopping?"

"One before, one after."

"You didn't notice anyone out of the ordinary, maybe following her out?" Greg asked.

The teenager shrugged. "No one that I noticed. Guys were always staring at her, y'know." He grinned. "She's pretty hot."

Sara rolled her eyes.

"Okay, Casanova, did you see which way she went?"

He pointed. "She always took the stairwell by the security office down to the parking lot. Usually one of the guards would escort her out but there was some kind of commotion in the record store, so they weren't in the office."

Sara looked at Greg. "I'll take the stairwell."

"I'll take the record store."

* * *

Warrick lifted the tire tread.

"Cath, check this out."

She leaned over.

"This tread is huge. I'm thinkin' off road?"

Catherine nodded. "Looks like. Not too many places those'd come in handy on the strip."

Warrick looked around. "I'm gonna go get that footage." He stood up. "Where'd Alfalfa go?"

Catherine sniggered.

* * *

"A guy and girl kept glancing at each other, walking around, picking up stuff…they looked suspicious, to me. Well the guy went out and the alarm went off so I called security. They picked him up a few stores down."

"And the girl?"

"She bought a CD and walked out like she didn't know the guy."

"Could I get a copy of that receipt?"

"Sure."

"Do you have any surveillance?"

"Yeah, but security already got it. It's probably on its way to the police station with the guy, by now."

He handed Greg the receipt. "What's this got to do with you CSI guys, though?"

Greg looked at him. "I'm not at liberty to discuss that." He took the receipt. "Thanks for your time."

* * *

Sara was dusting the handrail when someone goosed her.

"Jesus!" She turned around and saw Nick laughing and punched him in the shoulder.

"Damnit, Nick, you scared me!"

"Sorry." He massaged his shoulder and put his gloves on. "The car was spotless, so I figured I'd come give you a hand."

"Well this half's mine. You start at the bottom."

He picked up his kit. "Meet ya in the middle."

He walked down the stairs.

"Public mall, how many people take the stairwell?" He shook his head. "That's gotta be a lot of prints."

Sara nodded.

"Get busy, Stokes," she called down, and Nick grinned.

* * *

"Super Swamper TSL Radial tires."

"Tough tires for tough terrain."

Warrick nodded.

"I'm gonna go check with Archie on that footage, see what he's come up with, if anything."

"Brass brought in some footage from PD, too. He may be backed up."

"Where's everybody else?"

"Greg should be at PD by now, Sara's still at the mall."

"Wasn't Greg working with Sara at the mall?"

Catherine grinned. "Nicky went to give her a hand."

Warrick raised an eyebrow.

* * *

"Move your leg."

"That's a big one."

The guard stopped and looked down.

"I'm trying to get situated, here, Sara, could you move your leg?"

"Wow, Nick, I didn't know this'd be so hard for you."

"Well if you could hurry up on the railing it wouldn't take so long."

He cleared his throat and began walking again and the two of them looked up.

Sara was holding a brush and fingerprint powder, dusting the underside of a rail, and Nick was right next to her, lifting a footprint from one of the stairs.

"Somebody said you were lookin' for me?"

Nick stood up. "Are you the security guard who was in the record store today?"

"Yes."

"We need to ask you some questions about Mary Prescott."

"Okay."

Nick put the print away and walked up the stairs.

"You usually walked Mary to her car, but didn't today because of the disturbance in the record store, right?"

"That's right."

"A guy stole some stuff and you took him down to the station?"

The guard nodded. "He's still swearing he didn't take anything. Said some girl stuffed it into his pocket."

"What girl?"

* * *

"Look, I'll pay for it, okay? If that's what'll it take to get me out of here, fine, but for the last time, I didn't steal anything."

Greg looked at him. "The clerk in the store said it looked like the girl was with you, like maybe you knew each other."

He laughed. "I kept looking at her because she kept looking at me." He shrugged. "She was cute, and I thought she was interested. When I turned around to leave she bumped into me, apologized and smiled, and then I walked out."

"And the alarm went off and you kept walking."

"Do you usually ignore alarms?" Brass asked, and the man shook his head.

"I didn't steal anything. And if I ever did, it sure as hell wouldn't be an oldies CD."

Greg looked at Brass.

"Sit tight."

Brass followed Greg out into the hallway. "See if Archie's went over that tape yet and get back to me." He checked his watch. "We can keep Mr. Happy here for another hour or so."

* * *

"I'm finishing up with Greg's," Archie said at seeing Warrick. He took his headphones off and pulled another print.

"I've enhanced these frames to the max…" He shook his head. "She looks familiar, somehow."

Warrick leaned over Archie's shoulder and examined the screen when Greg walked in.

"Got anything?"

"The guy looks to be telling the truth. She bumped into him and you can see, within just two frames," Archie explained, playing back the footage, "that she slips something into his pocket."

Greg squinted. "I didn't see anything."

Archie played it back again, slower, and Greg sighed.

"Okay. I'll head back over and tell Brass."

"What does any of this have to do with Mary Prescott?" Archie asked.

Warrick looked at the photos.

"Coulda been just a regular mix up."

"C'mon, man. Why steal something and put it on another person? 'Specially if you don't know 'em?" He crossed his arms. "I bet it was some kind of distraction to get the guards out of that lot." He turned to leave. "Lemme know what you find on my footage."

Archie put his headphones back on and nodded.

* * *

Sara hummed a tune as she wrote and Nick sat beside her, running prints.

He leaned over and whispered, "Your voice is sexy, Sar."

She grinned and then yawned, and Nick checked his watch. "If we ever finish up here you wanna grab a bite to eat?"

She scoffed. "Like we'll ever finish up here." She shook her head. "The shoe print that was a straight trail from the top of the stairwell out into the lot, near where Mary's car was found, is a size 12. Another print, found only by the car, is a size 7. Kinda small for a guy, don't you think?"

Nick nodded and sipped his coffee. "A woman, a teenager?"

"Could be anybody."

"Yeah, but we're not looking for just anybody."

"Both look like sneakers."

Nick looked at the shoe print and then back; AFIS had a match on a print.

Nick stared at the screen and Sara looked at him.

"What's wrong?"

He said nothing and Sara leaned over and looked at the screen, her face paling instantly.

Nick stood up and walked out, leaving Sara to stare after him.

"Nick?"


	6. Chapter 6

Grissom looked up quickly when his office door swung open and hit the wall.

Nick stormed in, placing his palms on the desk and leaning toward him, his eyes ablaze.

"Why didn't you tell me she was out of prison?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Kelly Gordon," he said slowly, and Grissom stared at him.

"Nick, I don't know what this has to do with---"

"Her fingerprint was found on the railing in the mall. I bet that size seven shoeprint we lifted is a match, too. The girl in the record store, that her, too?"

Grissom leaned back in his chair, speechless, and Sara walked in the office just as Nick stood up and put his hands on his hips.

Nick shook his head as Sara placed a photo on Grissom's desk. She cleared her throat.

"She was at the mall. In the stairwell, and in the record store."

Nick turned and looked at her.

"Archie sent over some photos from the security footage," she said quietly, and Nick rubbed his forehead, sighing heavily.

Grissom stared at the picture and squinted and Sara saw it. He knew something, and he wasn't telling them.

She frowned.

"This isn't just a coincidence, man." Nick said finally. He scoffed and walked out of the office, and Sara turned to follow.

She stopped when she heard Grissom's voice; it almost startled her.

"Walter Gordon had an accomplice."

Sara stared at him.

"There was another voice on the tape."

She shook her head, opened her mouth to speak, but nothing came out.

Grissom looked at her, and she was sure he was studying her somehow.

She took a breath, figuring it best to try to remain professional. She figured for a moment that Grissom expected some sort of fit from her. She took another breath and then sighed.

"Was it Kelly?"

"Archie couldn't ascertain who, whether it was male or female."

She blinked and walked out, not knowing what else to say.

She searched the building for Nick, her mind racing, wondering if she should tell him.

She found him in the parking lot, sitting in his SUV.

The windows were rolled up but she heard the stereo. She knocked on the window and he rolled it down, held up a CD jewel case for her to see. She didn't need to see it---she knew, when she heard the song.

Nick looked over the jewel case.

"Outside Chance, by the Turtles." he read aloud. "Why the hell would someone leave that in my car?"

He turned his head, stared out the windshield. The lyrics wafted around him and his brows furrowed. He looked at Sara. "You know anything about this?"

Sara shifted her weight and nodded.

She swallowed and then cleared her throat.

"A cassette with the song on it was sent to the lab…with the flash drive that had the live feed on it…when you were abducted."

Nick grimaced and then punched his finger on the stereo buttons. The CD ejected and Nick picked it up, examining it. Sara waited for him to snap it in two, but he didn't. He put the CD back in the jewel case and got out of the SUV. He leaned against the door and crossed his arms, holding the CD, and put his head down. He felt sick.

"Nick, there's more."

He sighed.

"Grissom said Archie found another voice on that tape, that Walter Gordon had an accomplice. They don't know if it's male or female. Archie couldn't make it out."

"Grissom said?"

"Just now, after you left."

Sara saw his jaws clench tightly then, and she crossed her arms.

"But why? Why would she kidnap Mary Prescott?"

Sara leaned against the SUV, her arm touching Nick's. "Well," she sighed, "we don't know for sure that Kelly kidnapped her."

"But we don't know that she didn't, either."

Sara nodded and stifled a yawn.

"Well I guess we'd better get back inside. The sooner when can find Mary the sooner we can go home."

Sara began to walk alongside Nick and he slipped his hand into hers and gave it a squeeze.

"Thanks for tellin' me, Sar."

He held the door open for her as they walked back inside the building, and didn't let go of her hand.

Sara didn't pull away, either.

* * *

Greg almost knocked them down as they turned the corner.

"I've been looking everywhere for you guys," he said breathlessly, and Nick and Sara looked at him.

"Grissom wants you in his office, pronto."

They glanced at one another as Greg hurried off, and they followed.

* * *

Nick recognized the voice before he stepped into Grissom's office.

"Nick Stokes and Sara Sidle. No one else, or she dies."

The tape clicked off as they entered, and Grissom's eyes shot up at them.

"You two have no time." He handed them a slip of paper and grabbed his jacket.

"Follow me."

* * *

"The teams are stationed at various points, one block away," Brass explained.

"Anyone else in view, and Mary Prescott dies. You each have a flare and a side arm. Use either only if you have to. It's likely that Kelly Gordon isn't working alone."

Nick and Sara glanced at one another and then turned and walked toward the house.

Sara sighed nervously and glanced over the premises as she followed Nick and they made their way to the back of the property, toward the garden.

"First time I've ever seen flowers in bloom at night," Sara whispered, noticing the rose bushes along the walkway, and Nick stopped walking and pulled her against the wall beside him. He poked his head out and glanced around the pool area. He wiped the sweat from his brow and looked back at Sara. She stared at him through tense eyes, her palms sweaty yet cold, and Nick laughed nervously.

"This is romantic."

Sara grinned, and then the shot rang out.

* * *

"Hold your positions and do _not_ fire!" Brass called out along the airwaves, and Grissom stiffened.

"What's going on? Can they see Nick and Sara?"

"Somebody gimme a status report down there. I need to see two heads, on two standing bodies, at the back of that house."

A sniper in a corner on the roof of the house adjacent the property squinted and reported back, "Visual on Ms. Sidle."

"What about Nick?" Grissom asked quickly, and Brass echoed, "What about Nick Stokes?"

"That's a negative."

Grissom cursed and Brass rubbed his forehead.

"Request to move in?"

"No, do not move until you see the signal. Again, repeat, hold your positions, hold your fire. Nobody moves until we see a flare."

Brass put down the transmitter and looked at Grissom.

* * *

"Where's your girlfriend?"

Nick had taken only one step, enough to turn the corner, but it was enough. Mary Prescott's blood filled the pool as her lifeless body floated toward the center, and Nick shook his head. Sara turned the corner, her hands in the air, and then dropped them loosely to her sides.

"Sidle just turned the corner, hands in the air," the sniper reported, and Grissom frowned.

Kelly Gordon sat in a lawn chair at the other end of the pool, a small caliber handgun in her left hand, aimed toward Nick and Sara.

"There's the happy couple," she said finally, a smirk crossing her lips, and Nick shivered.

"Why? Why Mary Prescott?" Nick asked, walking slowly toward Kelly, and she shrugged.

"That's far enough, Nick," she said coolly, aiming the gun at him. She stood up and glanced at Sara. Without saying anything she fired, and Sara fell into the pool. Nick cried out and dove in after her, and Kelly sat back down in the chair and waited.

* * *

Grissom heard the shot.

"We have another shot fired…"

He got out of the van and ran toward the house, leaving Brass to curse behind him. "Alright, move in, move in…go, go!" He drew his weapon and ran after Grissom as the teams moved in.

* * *

Grissom ran around the corner to see Kelly Gordon at the end of the pool, and Nick coming to the surface at the other end, an unconscious Sara in his arms. Ignoring Kelly, he knelt down and pulled Sara out of the pool.

Within a few minutes teams filled the area, Kelly Gordon was handcuffed, and Mary Prescott's body was being pulled from the bloody pool. EMTs pulled Grissom and Nick away and began working on Sara, and Nick stared at Kelly as two officers led her away.

"Now you know," she said calmly, right after passing him, and Nick shook his head.

"Know _what_?"

She turned her head to face him, still walking, her blue eyes cold, and replied, "What it's like to lose everything."

* * *

Nick jolted awake and Sara looked at him. She sat the coffee down and touched his forehead.

"You okay? You're sweating."

He swallowed and glanced around to find that he'd dozed off in the break room. He took the coffee with shaky hands and guzzled it, and Sara's brows furrowed.

"Easy, Nick."

He nodded, and then stood up and tossed the cup into a wastebasket.

Just then Warrick, Catherine, Greg, Brass, and Grissom shuffled into the room. After everyone sat down and files were opened, Grissom glanced around the room at the faces of his coworkers.

"Tell me what we've got."


	7. Chapter 7

Warrick closed his locker and stretched.

"I'm just glad to be gettin' a break."

Sara looked at him. "You don't feel wrong to be going home to sleep while everyone else is still in there working?"

Warrick scoffed. "Are you kiddin' me? We've been workin' like indentured servants. I need some sleep. Or else I'm gonna shoot myself."

Nick grinned as Warrick left the locker room, and Sara sat down beside him.

"I wonder if Mary Prescott's getting to sleep."

"Sara, we're only human. We need to rest. Besides, some of the best CSIs are still on the case."

Sara nodded absent mindedly. Nick couldn't tell if she was still thinking about the case or she was zoned out from lack of sleep.

"Let's get outta here."

He stood up and took her hand, pulled her out of the building and, physically, at least, away from the case.

* * *

Sara headed for the stereo as soon as she opened the door, and Nick took his coat off and tossed it on the back of the couch. Sara did the same and then picked up the remote and hit play. The blues-y tune echoed throughout the apartment, and Sara stretched and put her hands on her hips. She hadn't said more than three words on the drive, and Nick new that the case was still bothering her. He walked to her and planted a kiss on her cheek, and then excused himself.

He left the bathroom door ajar as he ran a tubful of hot water, and he sat on the basin, smelling the bottles and jars of different gels and beads. After finding one he liked, he poured it into the water and watched the bubbles rise with the steam. He walked back into the living room and looked around, and Sara looked up from the book she was reading.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," he replied, his hands on his hips, his eyes still wandering.

"Do you have any candles, Sar?"

Sara grinned. "What for?"

Nick smiled and walked to the couch, put his hands on the back and leaned toward her, his nose almost touching hers.

"I'm gonna set your bathroom on fire."

Without even blinking, she answered, "Yes," in a serious tone, and pointed to the kitchen. "Top drawer," she added. After retrieving them and heading back to the bathroom, Nick peeked from behind the door to catch her smile.

A few minutes later he peeked out from behind the door again.

"Come in here."

Sara faked a sigh and got up. She put the book on the coffee table and rolled her sleeves up. Nick opened the door, and Sara couldn't hide her grin.

"What's all this?" she asked, eyeing the bubble bath and candles, and Nick shrugged.

"Look, it'll help you relax. You haven't said more than ten words to me the entire night."

Sara looked down. "I know. I'm sorry, it's just that this case…" She paused, and Nick moved behind her. "Doesn't it bother you?"

"Of course it bothers me, but when you start taking it off the clock…that's when it consumes you, and you lose it."

He massaged her shoulders and kissed her temple. "C'mon, get in. I'll go watch TV."

He opened the door to leave.

"You can stay."

Nick looked at her and she shrugged.

"If you want to, I mean."

Nick nodded and closed the door, and as Sara began to undress, he turned away.

She stepped into the hot water slowly, and then said, "Okay."

Nick turned around and sat on top of the toilet seat across from her, and Sara leaned back in the tub and closed her eyes.

"Thank you, Nick," she said after a moment, and he smiled.

* * *

"So I pulled everything we had on the Walter Gordon case and found this," Greg said, handing Grissom a piece of paper.

Grissom put his glasses on and read over it as Greg continued.

"Looks like Sylvia Mullins was going to be getting more than her usual fee for services rendered."

"But none of this has been paid to Kelly," Grissom noted. "It says the funds are no longer available?"

"That'd make me pretty mad."

Grissom looked at him.

"But what's any of this got to do with Mary Prescott?"

Greg rolled his eyes and flipped the page Grissom was holding.

"Look who's listed as the Prescott family financial manager."

* * *

Sara came out of the bathroom in her robe, a towel wrapped around her head, and she found Nick in her bedroom, pulling back the blankets and fluffing her pillows, and she laughed.

"You fluffed my pillow for me?"

Nick laughed. "You're just not used to anyone being nice to you, are you?"

"Nice is one thing. Fluffing pillows is something different."

She pulled the towel from her head and dried the ends of her hair with it, and Nick walked to her. He took the towel from her and tossed it on the floor, and put his arms around her waist. He kissed her.

"And what is it, exactly?" he asked finally.

"Idaknow. I'd say it's either being extremely interested in my comfort, or thinking that you're going to share that bed with me."

Nick laughed and backed away from her. He picked the towel up and kissed her on the cheek, and she grabbed his hand.

"You can share it with me, Nick."

His smile faded and he stared at her.

"I want you to," she said, her voice above a whisper, and she walked past him and closed the door. She found him in the dark, both his hands still holding the towel, and she wrapped his arms around her waist. He let the towel drop and his hands moved up and down her back. She kissed him, and they moved toward the bed.


	8. Chapter 8

Grissom and Catherine eyed the crime scene as Brass found them.

"The girl's gonna be fine. On her way to get checked out. She's a little shook up, but nothing a day at the spa and Daddy's money won't cure."

"What about that one?" Catherine asked, pointing to the body as she put latex gloves on.

Grissom sat his case down and looked over the scene.

"DOA. Coroner's on his way for the body." He checked his notes. "Sylvia Mullins. Ran the Prescott money."

"Hey, Brass?"

Jim walked to Grissom.

"Where is Kelly Gordon?"

"Why?"

"We have evidence to prove that she was involved in this somehow." He stood up. "You need to find her."

Brass nodded and walked away, avoiding reporters as he ducked under the police tape.

"What a mess," Catherine said, joining Grissom.

He looked at the body of Sylvia Mullins, lifeless between a concrete wall of the parking garage and the hood of her own car.

"Call Nick. We need him for auto detail when they tow the car. Call Warrick and Sara, too."

Catherine nodded.

"And somebody get those damn reporters out of here!" he yelled. "This is a crime scene, not a circus."

* * *

The phone rang, startling him, and he fumbled for it in the darkness. 

"Lo?" he mumbled.

"Nick? Is that you?"

Nick reached for the lamp and turned it on. He glanced around the room and realized that his cell was still in his pants pocket, in the floor.

"Shit…" he whispered.

"Uh, listen," Catherine said finally, "Is Sara there with you?"

Nick cleared his throat.

"Yeah."

"Grissom needs you guys to come in. You're on auto detail. Mary Prescott was found."

Nick rubbed his eyes and sat up.

"Where's Kelly?"

"What?"

"Kelly Gordon. Where is she? Did you find her?"

"Nicky, look, I gotta go. They're towing the car back to CSI right now, so hurry."

The line rang off, and Nick slapped the cell phone shut.

He leaned over and kissed Sara's shoulder.

"Sar…wake up."

"Ngh…what?"

"They found Mary Prescott. We gotta go."

* * *

Warrick locked his car door and laughed when he saw them. 

"Don't you two look all worn out."

Nick rolled his eyes and Sara stifled a grin with another yawn.

"C'mon, man."

Warrick chuckled and opened the door for them, and Greg was waiting for them.

"Well alright. 'Bout time somebody rolled out the welcome wagon," Warrick chimed, and Greg scoffed.

"Nick, you have to get to auto detail…like five minutes ago. Warrick, you're on A/V."

Sara looked at him. "What about me?"

Greg glanced at her as he walked. "Uh, Idaknow…Grissom didn't say. I guess you're with everybody else."

Sara followed Greg and glanced at Nick. He turned down the hall and winked at her, and she smiled.

"Awe, yeah," Warrick bellowed, and Sara shook her head.

* * *

Grissom looked up from the file when Greg and Sara entered the room. Catherine followed, glancing at Sara, and Grissom both noticed and ignored it. 

He put down the file.

"Mary Prescott was found earlier this morning in a parking garage with the dead body of her father's financial manager."

Catherine crossed her arms and filled in the blanks.

"Sylvia Mullins, DOA. Mary Prescott was found in the same garage, although it's unclear just how the two wound up there together. Ms. Prescott is at the hospital now and Brass is arguing with her father to get her to PD as soon as possible to issue a statement. Warrick is working the security footage from the garage, Nick's got the car, and Greg, you and I are going to PD as soon as Brass sends word."

"Sara, you're going with an officer to Kelly Gordon's apartment for questioning," Grissom added. He stood up and picked up the file. "I'm going to talk to Archie and get final prints of what's been collected so far. I'm sure there'll be a press conference with my name on it."

* * *

Nick was filing his report amidst a pile of bagged evidence when his cell phone rang. 

"Stokes."

"Nicky, could you do me a favor and head over to that garage and see if you can get a print off that security camera lens?" Warrick asked. "Looks like our murderer is a murderess, and she's camera shy."

"Will do," Nick said.

* * *

"How much longer is this gonna take? She's been through enough already," Byron Prescott hissed, and Brass tried to calm the man. 

"Mr. Prescott, I know you're upset, but this is necessary in order for us to find whoever did this to your daughter…"

Inside, Greg and Catherine waited for the woman to stop crying.

"She kept on and on about her father's estate, that he would have left her everything, and how Sylvia took everything…" She wiped her nose. "She said that if she wanted to get ransom that she'd show her how, and was going to call my Dad's office and ask for a million dollars or else she'd kill me."

"What happened next?" Catherine asked.

"They got into an argument and Kelly threw the phone against a wall. She grabbed me and put me in her car. She taped my mouth shut when we got to the garage and tied my hands to a pillar. She got in Sylvia's car and waited," she sobbed, "and when Sylvia came out and couldn't find her car Kelly hit her with it."

Greg looked at Catherine.

"What did she do afterward?"

"She got out of the car and left. I waited until I was sure she was gone and I screamed my head off. One of the guards found me, and then you guys showed up."

Catherine handed the woman another tissue and Greg nodded toward the double sided mirror. Byron Prescott entered the room, and then the two left.

Catherine and Greg stood up as Brass entered the room.

"We've got two officers on their way to pick up Kelly Gordon."

"Two officers?" Catherine repeated. "What about Sara?"

"Sara?"

"Grissom sent her with an officer to Kelly Gordon's place like an hour ago," Greg explained, and Brass cursed and ran out of the room. He was on his radio asking for backup before he made it out of the building.

* * *

Nick waited as Archie ran the print. When the owner came back as Kelly Gordon, Nick wasn't surprised. 

"But I don't know why you needed this," Archie said, and Nick looked at him.

"Mary Prescott told half the PD that Kelly Gordon killed Sylvia Mullins this morning. Of course, nobody else knew, either. Grissom sent Sara over to question her before…"

Nick was out of the room before Archie could finish.


	9. Chapter 9

The officer knocked on the door again, and again, there was no answer.

Sara looked at him.

"We can't go in without a warrant," he said, and Sara nodded.

"I'm gonna go check around the building. She might've seen us come in."

"You want me to go with you?"

"No, you stay here in case she comes back. I'll be right back."

The officer nodded and Sara made her way back down the hallway and down the stairs.

She went out the front door of the building and walked around it, seeing no sign of Kelly Gordon. She walked around the back of the building, through an alleyway littered with garbage, and found herself peering through a rusted, chain link fence, at a woman who appeared to be Kelly.

Sara called her name and the woman turned and ran, and Sara yelled again. She climbed the fence and jumped over it, and the chase began.

* * *

"What do you mean she's gone?" Brass yelled over the airwaves.

The officer pushed the button on his radio. "She told me to stay here and went to check the building."

"Well you'd better get your ass down there and find Sara Sidle. We're on our way with a warrant for the apartment."

"Copy that," the officer said, and left his spot outside Kelly Gordon's apartment.

* * *

"Kelly, stop!" Sara yelled again as she ran, but the woman failed to stop.

She ran through another alley, past an abandoned schoolyard, through a fence, and into the school.

Sara walked through the place, dusty and dim, and pulled her gun from its holster. She left the safety on, and called Kelly's name again. She heard thumping and moved toward the noise. When she reached it, the last thing she saw was a two by four headed for her face.

* * *

Brass had to restrain Nick.

"What the hell do you mean she's gone?!" he yelled, and the officer in front of him shook his head.

"I checked the building from top to bottom, inside and out. She's gone."

"What, like she just disappeared?"

"Easy there, Cowboy," Brass said calmly, placing a hand on Nick's chest to ease him back. He looked at the officer and then at Sofia.

"One of you start at one end, one of you start at another. If there are alleyways, follow them. If there are possible eye witnesses, talk to them. I don't care what you have to do, but I want Sidle and Kelly Gordon found. Y'got that?"

The officer nodded, as did Sofia, and the two headed down the hallway.

When they turned the corner, Nick punched the wall.

* * *

Catherine motioned for Grissom.

He nodded and turned the questions over to the sheriff and then made his way out of the room.

"Brass just called in. There's no sign of Kelly at her apartment. Apparently Sara went out to scope the building, and now she's missing."

Grissom's eyes lit up.

"Missing?"

Catherine nodded, a worried look on her face, and Grissom took her by the arm as they walked.

"Who's there now?"

"Brass, a few officers, and Nick."

"Nick?" Grissom stopped walking. "What's Nick doing there? He's supposed to be doing his report."

"Grissom, there's something you should know," Catherine began, and then Greg found them.

"Have they found her yet?"

Grissom's brows furrowed and he started to walk away.

"I'm going over there."

"Can I come, too?" Greg asked, and Grissom put his hand up.

"No. Go with Catherine and get your reports finished. We're going to wrap this up."

* * *

Brass and Nick went into the apartment to find it empty. There was the usual furniture to be found in run-down hotels: night stand, bed, small table, but no sign that anyone had been there, ever.

Brass called in the confirmation, and Sofia came back: "There's an alleyway at the back of the building. This is the only way she could've gone without being seen. Following it now."

Nick shook his head. He couldn't stand it any longer.

"I've gotta go, man. I can't just sit here and do nothing."

"Just keep your shirt on, Nick. There are enough missing bodies right now. They'll find her."

Grissom topped the stairs and turned the corner to see Nick pacing in front of an open door.

"Grissom," he said, relief in his voice, "Let me go check it out. I don't need to be here when they could use me."

Grissom met him and eyed the apartment from the hallway as Brass joined them.

"They don't need you there. Right now, you'd just be getting in the way."

Nick lost it.

"Damnit, Grissom! This isn't just a missing person. It's _Sara_!"

Grissom stared at him. "I know that, Nick. But for her safety, we need to treat this the same way we would any other case. Otherwise, we become involved, and we stop doing our jobs. When we do that, we do Sara more harm than good."

Nick shook his head and walked down the hall. He stared out the window at the end of it, his hands gripping the window sill. He was almost to the point of tears. He was angry, and felt helpless, and the one man who should have known how he felt seemed to have no idea what the hell was going on. He prayed for the millionth time that hour, asking God, or any god, _"Please, just let her be alive."_


	10. Chapter 10

_**A/N:** This is the last chapter, and thusly, the end of **Equilibria**. Thank you for reading (and your patience)._

_Keep an eye on my myspace page---there **will be a sequel** to this in the near future (titled **Sara Smile**)._

_Take care._

* * *

_**A/N (9-9-07):** **Sara Smile** is now available---see my profile page for its link._

_Take care._

* * *

Brass handed the bottles to Grissom. 

"If she took as many as are missing all at the same time, I don't think we're gonna have to worry about Kelly Gordon much longer."

Grissom looked at him.

"Then we need to find Sara as soon as possible."

Brass nodded and looked at Nick, who was still staring out the window.

"Whattaya wanna do with Mr. Hero, there?"

Grissom thought a moment.

"Send him."

* * *

Sara felt the blood on her face before she felt the pain. 

She heard shallow breathing not too far from her, and knew that Kelly was close by.

She coughed, spitting up blood, and Kelly sniffled.

After a moment, she spoke.

"She took everything," she said, her voice weak. "The ransom money was her idea, just so you know. Maybe you could tell Nick that for me?"

Sara listened to her---it was all she could do.

"He wouldn't have done that. My father loved me…"

She sobbed, there in the darkness across from her, and for a brief moment, Sara pitied her.

* * *

She heard their voices outside and stumbled out of the building, leaving Sara behind. 

She winced in the light of day, as they yelled for her to freeze and not move, and she fell to her knees.

Sofia kept her gun on her as Nick ran to her.

"Where's Sara?!" he yelled, and Kelly's body began to shake.

Grissom and Brass joined the scene, and Nick glanced at them.

"She's OD'in'…right now! Call an ambulance!"

Sofia and the other officers put their guns away while Brass called it in.

Kelly's body fell limp to the ground, and Nick checked her eyes. "Kelly! Kelly!"

After a moment he stood and glanced around him. He then ran into the school, and Grissom followed.

"Sara!" he yelled in the dark.

Sara heard his voice and reached around her for something to make noise with; her face was so swollen that she couldn't speak.

She found her gun, clicked the safety off, and fired a single shot.

Grissom shined his flashlight in the direction that it came from, and then Nick found her.

He went to his knees and raised her head gently as Grissom shined the light near her face. He put his head down, and only when Brass yelled did he look up.

"She's alive! Call an ambulance!"

Nick held her and rocked back and forth as Grissom sat silent beside them.


End file.
